Koofers.com helps to "level the playing field" at ECU

Koofers.com, a Web site that aims to "level the playing field" for all students, is quickly becoming a hit on college campuses.

Koofers.com provides registered users with access to instructor ratings, grade distributions, past exams, quizzes, study guides, etc. Users can also learn what to expect from their classes, as past students can record how many quizzes, papers and exams were assigned or given, as well as how easy or hard each of these items were.

In addition, Koofers.com gives a more in-depth form of instructor rating, opposed to similar Web sites such as RateMyProfessor.com. Users can rate their professors based on enthusiasm, fairness, knowledge, preparation, availability and communication, as well as an overall rating. All services provided by Koofers.com are completely free and the only requirement for registration is a valid university email account.

According to the Web site, Koofers.com was created to "ensure that ALL users have equal access to the SAME study materials." Koofers.com aims to provide users with current studying materials in one convenient location, opposed to the information in the library or on random Web sites, which can be confusing, hard to find and/or out of date.

"[Koofers.com] really helps students prepare for any exam. It lets them see how the professor gives the exam, whether the test is mostly multiple choice or essay," said

Michael Rihani, co-founder of Koofers.com.

Rihani did not approve of the fact that select students, such as those in various clubs, organizations, fraternities and sororities had access to past tests, quizzes and homework. This led him to the idea of Koofers.com.

"I thought it was unfair," he said.

However, this very fact is what led him to the name of the Web site.

Long ago, fraternity and sorority members would save their old tests and notes and would store them in a box called a "coffer." After enough materials were added, the information in the box became known as "coffers" and would become available to all members of the organization. As far as naming the Web site goes, the term "Koofers" originated from the term "coffers."

While Koofers.com may sound too good to be true, it actually isn't! Koofers.com attempts to work with the universities whose materials are hosted on the Web site to ensure that these practices support the academic integrity principals, as well as honor codes and policies of each university. Koofers, Inc. even has a membership pending in the Center for Academic Integrity.

However, the Web site strongly suggests that users "know, understand, and adhere to all policies and/or Honor Codes that govern them" as well as ask each particular instructor if the use of Koofers.com is acceptable to make sure students are not violating any university rules.

If access is permitted, Koofers.com can be a great method for students to learn what to expect when registering for classes or even on a test!

This writer can be contacted at features@theeastcarolinian.com.